He took his usual stool at the bar waving to the bar tender. He was awaiting the Boy who lived and effortlessly kicked he-who-must-not-be-name's arse though it didn't mean anything now since he was dead. It was a sort of casual routine they had. When Ron wasn't attempting to charm Hermione, he would meet Harry after his practice and Harry's auror training. It seemed as though they were even closer together and Harry appreciated that. Now he understood Harry's dislike of being in the public eye. Especially when he couldn't even go to the public loo without having an autograph book being slid under the stall. He looked towards the door as he heard a jingle sound and saw the green eyed Harry Potter. He grinned and waved him over.

Harry ran a hand over his face, weaving his way through the crowd towards Ron. The testing was getting more and more difficult with the date of November 1st looming, and thought most of the tests were easy to get through, the Laws and Procedures tests always seemed to kick his arse. He was always reminded of Professor Binns monotone voice spewing dates and names at him. He shrugged out of his coat before taking the stool next to Ron. "Evening."

Ron could tell Harry was stressed. His hair looked like he had run his hand through it one too many times and his facial feature expressed the lack of sleep he most likely was facing. Ron knew what it was like to be exhausted. His coach trained him and his team mates like dogs. Every night coming home sore. He patted Harry on the back. "Hey mate. Long day?" he asked, gesturing to the bartender to hand them two beers. This was a perfect way to release stress, and stress relieving they both needed.

"Long week, to be exact." Harry turned, setting his elbow on the bar and taking a look at his friend. "You don't look that much better." He grinned at Ron as the barkeep set two pints in front of them. "Training going rough?"

Ron looked at Harry and shook his head. He wrapped his hand around the frosty mug and took a long sip. "Coach is trying to kill us I think." he said twirling the mug in his hands. "What about you? Auror training kicking your arse?" he joked, grinning at him.

"Its the Auror testing that's kicking my arse." He narrowed his eyes at Ron. "I kinda hate you for not coming into training with me. Leaving me high and dry so you can be the big Quidditch star." He laughed. "Not that I mind you taking the spotlight off of me for a change. Live it up, I say." Harry grabbed his pint and saluted Ron with it before taking a sip.

Ron tapped his pint with Harry's and took another swig. "Yeah well, when you have talent like me," he said laughing. "Though you know if I hadn't gotten accepted on the team, I'd be looking worse than you right now, when it comes to those auror tests. You know how rubbish I am at exams. Hermione was the one I always copied off of." He motioned for a refill. He really needed to stop drinking...Next week. Yeah he'd start next week.

"Yeah, well, you have an in with her, so I'm pretty sure she'd help you study." Harry sighed. "I, on the other hand, have Dobby. Dobby and Hannah Abbott. Neither of whom know top or bottom about Ministry Laws and Procedures." He finished the rest of his beer and signaled for another one when Ron's second was set in front of him. "Have you been home much? Ginny said she hasn't seen you around."

Ron made sure to drink a long time when he mentioned Hermione's name. Yeah, him and Hermione were "together" but he wouldn't dare tell anyone about it, not even Harry, how he truly felt. He cared for her, sure, but not in the way other's thought he did. He grunted into his mug at Ginny's name. "Yeah...I know. Mum's been bugging me also. I was planning on maybe paying them a visit this saturday since it's my day off," he said scratching the back of his head. "Family, they bug the hell outta you. I tell them I'm busy, and what does mum do? Send about ten owls a day." He shook his head and looked around the pub. No girls. He quickly shifted his focus back onto Harry, he was with Hermione. He had to remember that.

Harry sighed, leaning back on the bar. "Well, at least your Mum cooks. That's always a plus." Harry took another drink, raising an eyebrow at Ron. "I have to ask... how do you swat the broom bunnies away?" He waved his hand. "And don't say there aren't any because Oliver told me all about it. You ride a broom, they want you to ride them, it just happens. Do you carry around a beater's bat to fend them off? Because, I have to tell you, you are one fine looking young man." Harry grinned.

Ron let out a hearty laugh. "Getting drunk already Potter?" he asked shoving him playfully. "Naw, don't really have any after me. The one's who do throw themselves at me are very....well slutty. I don't want to catch anything mate." He took a sip and stared down into the golden liquid. His fingers played with the frost that was accumulating around the glass. "What about you? Shopping for an engagement ring so says the Prophet," he said winking and chuckling.

"Ah, yes. The red hair, green-eyed muggle whom I've been secretly dating for months because your sister, the slag, broke my heart." Harry nodded, taking another sip. "Yes. The ring is just in case, you know, just planning ahead. I mean, she's already knocked up, so it was the least I can do."

"Atta boy mate." Ron said clapping him on the back and grinning. "Honestly...the rubbish they publish sometimes. Remember when I first made it on the team they had thislengthy article about how Ronaldo Wesley was a secret cross dresser outside of the Quidditch uniforms. Bloody idiots are what they are." he said bitterly.

"I don't know, you do look rather fetching in blue." Harry smiled back at Ron, finishing the second pint. "I'm supposed to be your best mate, you'd think I'd know everything about you."

Ron chuckled. "Yeah...it matches my eye's perfectly." he said batting his eyelashes. Ron stared down into his beer again and took a deep breath. He wasn't accustomed to telling people his deepest feelings, not even Harry. But, it was eating at him and he had to get it off his chest. "Being on the subject of you being my best mate, can I tell you something?" he asked looking at Harry.

Harry leveled Ron with a serious look. "Of course. Is something wrong?" All the horrible things that could be wrong flashed through Harry's mind. He was sick. Hermione was sick. He'd killed someone. Hermione had killed someone. Well, that's ridiculous. Hermione would never- "Did you kill someone?"

Ron choked on his beer. He stared at Harry. "Oh yeah mate, down by Piccadilly square. Bugger annoyed the hell out of me y'know." Ron said rolling his eyes. He then studied his beer for the umpteenth time. He was trying to find the right words to say and if he kept Harry waiting any longer he was going to start suspecting something. "It's nothing too serious....It's just about 'Mione."

"Oh, Merlin, did she kill someone?" Harry's head was spinning. It was about Hermione. Why hadn't she said anything when they'd went to dinner? She'd looked tired, but if she was sick or in trouble, she should have said something. He'd help her if she needed anything. He'd help Ron for that matter. "What is it? You felt the need to get me drunk to tell me?"

"What is it with you and people committing homicide?! No! She didn't kill anyone. I just....it's about our relationship..." he said trailing off. Just then a bubbly brunette came giggling over to them, wanting an autograph. Ron smiled politely and signed her napkin. She then proceeded to squeal and wrap her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek. He blushed slightly and waved her off. He then returned to nursing his beer.

Harry watched as the brunette went over a began nattering to her friends. He turned back to Ron, an eyebrow raised. "What was that?"

Ron sat there for a few moments. Should he tell him? What would he think? Would he think he was an idiot on giving up on a girl like Hermione? "Ah, it's nothing mate. I'm sure I can deal with it. Want some firewhiskey now?" he asked changing the subject and praying that Harry wouldn't mention it again.

Raising an eyebrow at Ron, but knowing it didn't help to push. Ron clammed up quick if pushed. "Alright, it's a little early, and I have to work tomorrow, but if you hand me firewhiskey I won't turn it down."

Ron grinned and motioned for the bartender to bring the bottle over. Hell, tonight was not a night to bring up worries or potential serious decisions. It was a night to get piss drunk and talk about Quidditch, girls and how the hell Ron was going to get home without splinching himself again.